9/11 legacy not in rebuilding, but liberties lost

By this time next year, One World Trade Center - the newly constructed tower that will stand on the site of the former World Trade Center towers - should be complete and occupied. It will be another reminder that life, while different in many ways, has truly gone on after the events of Sept. 11, 2001.

Memorial ceremonies won't be conducted at every point across our country, but many cities and towns will take a few minutes to remember the people who died in the terrorist attacks of that day. The Pentagon has been repaired and memorials have been erected there, in Pennsylvania and in New York City.

But, while the memory of those lost to us is memorialized, the legacy of 9/11 is ongoing. Many would argue the largest role the attacks played in American life was the eroding of liberty and, with the evolving story of National Security Agency spying on phone conversations and email, instant messages and even Facebook posts. It's certainly proof that not only did our world change on 9/11, but it continues to change.

In an effort to prevent another attack of that scale and scope, our government has worked through various channels - the USA PATRIOT Act was one, the now infamous PRISM surveillance program is yet another - to assist anti-terrorism forces in their effort to keep us safe. Many argue that President Obama's declining use of interrogation and infiltration techniques make the PRISM intelligence gathering effort not only necessary, but imperative, in the war on terror. Others argue that government snooping not only violates a public trust, but infringes on the very liberties we intend to protect and creates dissension with our allies.

Nevertheless, government intervention into our private lives is increasing. It's "legal" as long as the NSA adheres to the restrictions set out by courts, but those restrictions have been loosened more and more in the days since 9/11.

These intrusions aren't as noticeable as the airport security inspections or the bag restrictions at huge public events, such as sporting contests and concerts, but they are certainly the cost of fighting terrorism today. As we reflect on what we lost 12 years ago, the human toll is easy to assess and mourn, but the intrinsic value of our lost freedom and trust is one we can't evaluate because we're still losing them daily.

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9/11 legacy not in rebuilding, but liberties lost

By this time next year, One World Trade Center ? the newly constructed tower that will stand on the site of the former World Trade Center towers ? should be complete and occupied.